Leadership & Management Differences
(Differences between leadership and management 1/10 )
Purpose v Process
Leadership is a purpose centred activity that calls for movement in a direction in order reach the purpose. This desire to achieve the purpose challenges inactivity, the status quo, and calls for tasks to be accomplished quickly. The clear view of the purpose only highlights how much is yet to be achieved. It demands change and yet more change to reach from one level to the next level. It asks the question why.
Management is a process oriented activity that considers how best to achieve the purpose and keep people. The desire to see things done right calls for clear well thought through systems, procedures, roles and responsibilities. The clear view of process only highlights the inefficiencies. It demands a thorough approach and consistency. It asks the question how.
Leaders that do not value management emphasise the importance of purpose and do not see the importance of process. Purpose without process leads to:
- New initiatives but failure to follow through
- Lots of activity but also lots of wasted activity
- Tasks accomplished where people are just a resource
- Valuing external customers and devaluing internal customers
- Failure to learn from past mistakes
- Having to relearn how to do things
- Measure effectiveness as getting the results but fail to see the high costs/casualties involved
Managers that do not value leadership emphasise the importance of process and do not see the importance of connecting it to a higher purpose. Process without a higher purpose leads to:
- Each level of the organisation managing the people below with little time left to manage their own things
- High costs
- Low value added
- Bureaucracy
- A can’t do it without permission and assume permission not granted attitude
- Equality but failure to value diversity
- Functions and roles disconnected from each other and the overall purpose
Purpose with process not only achieves things but in the right way. It searches for what customers want but also provides it with efficiency. It opens up new opportunities for growth and maximise the return from that growth.
Questions employees need to ask to think like purpose centred leaders:
- Why am I here?
- What is the overall purpose?
- What is my purpose?
- What are we trying to achieve?
- What will success look like?
- Is there a sense of urgency to get on with the tasks?
Questions employees need to ask to think like process oriented managers:
- How best to achieve the purpose?
- How can we break that purpose down into sections?
- How best to be prepared and plan?
- What are the roles and responsibilities required?
- Which measure(s) from quantity, quality, cost and timeliness is required to check efficiency?
- How best to work with others?
Purpose centred LEADERSHIP with process oriented Management works best.
This is the first of ten blogs that explore the differences between leadership and management. Create-ability equips people with, sector relevant, leadership and management expertise.
